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A view of the Caribbean Sea from near a summit on our jeep ride up the Gran Parque Nacional Sierra Maestra mountains, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

From our pier near downtown Santiago de Cuba we were driven in a jeep about and hour-and-a-half into the surrounding mountains with stunning landscapes. Stretching across much of the southern coast, Gran Parque Nacional Sierra Maestra boasts exceptional land and seascapes, from its wave-swept shoreline to steep ravines, rugged peaks and remote sugar cane fields farmed for generations by the same families. The park is also home to a World Heritage Site celebrating the region’s earliest coffee plantations, exemplified by the its traditional platforms used to dry the beans. At the summit of the mist shrouded Sierra Maestra Mountains we explored, with a local guide, the historically significant remnants of one of Cuba’s first coffee plantations. The mountain range is where some of the finest Arabica coffee beans can be found. Not always a peaceful site, its history includes guerilla warfare and was a refuge for Cuban rebels since the 1500s. From the coffee plantation we drove to Jardín Ave del Paraíso (Bird of Paradise Garden). A specialist guided us on a walk through the lush ferns, orchids, bromeliads and a rainbow of tropical plants in the beautiful, representative botanical garden. Afterwards, following our jeep drive back down form the mountains, we enjoyed lunch at Km 0, one of the city’s paladares (employer-owned, rather than state-owned restaurants) that served typical Cuban dishes.

A traditional concrete drying platform for drying coffee beans in front of the proprietor’s home at the oldest coffee plantation in the Gran Parque Nacional Sierra Maestra, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

The proprietor’s home at the oldest coffee plantation in the Gran Parque Nacional Sierra Maestra, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

The ground level remnants of the walls of the slave quarters at the oldest coffee plantation in the Gran Parque Nacional Sierra Maestra, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

The outdoor circular platform for crushing the dried coffee beans (the long wooden rod was pulled in a circle by a horse with a stone wheel in the track cracking the beans), Gran Parque Nacional Sierra Maestra, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

Only one slave quarters building remains at the coffee plantation, Gran Parque Nacional Sierra Maestra, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

The view of the estate from the kitchen of the slave quarters at the coffee plantation, Gran Parque Nacional Sierra Maestra, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

The son of one of the local guides at the coffee plantation, Gran Parque Nacional Sierra Maestra, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

Another view of the Caribbean Sea from the summit on our jeep ride along the Gran Parque Nacional Sierra Maestra mountains, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

Locally grown and roasted coffee beans making a cup of drip coffee at a roadside stand on the summit of the Gran Parque Nacional Sierra Maestra, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

Sadly, this was our last day of our trip around Cuba. Looking back, our overall impression is one of a beautiful lush tropical small island country filled with friendly, entrepreneurial, hopeful people from a wide range of backgrounds from Africa, Europe and the Caribbean. Virtually everyone we saw or met was friendly and accommodating to visitors, proud of their culture. The music, art, dance, and food that we experienced reflected the peoples’ love of life. We look forward to a return visit and to the day when the United States restores a fully open relationship with Cuba.

A mansion in the Vista Alegre neighborhood that was the home to the wealthy prior to the revolution, including the Bacardi Family, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

Beautiful ceramics for sale to the public at the gallery-workshop “Casa de la Ceramica”, a socio-cultural project created three years ago and formed by a group of ceramists who also give lessons to local children, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

A ceramist at work at the gallery-workshop “Casa de la Ceramica”, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

The José Ignacio Martí primary school, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

School children after school walking home, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

A typical home in the Vista Alegre neighborhood that was a “regular” home, rather than a large mansion (as above), Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

A school girl posed for your photographer as she began her walk home, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

Nuestra Señora de la Asunción Cathedral (The Basilica Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption) and Parque Céspedes viewed from inside the Museo de Ambiente Histórico Cubano (located in Casa de Don Diego Velázquez), the oldest house still standing in Cuba, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

The very Spanish-design interior of Casa de Don Diego Velázquez, the oldest house still standing in Cuba, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

Shoppers on a weekday walking down the main shopping street in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

Local men playing dominoes in a park in downtown Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

The proud proprietor of a small hardware store in downtown Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

The epitome of romanticized Cuban street life, Parque Céspedes — surrounded by colonial architecture and the Cathedral — is a vibrant mix of conversation, flirting, dancing and music in the heart of Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

Located closer to Haiti and the Dominican Republic than Havana, Santiago de Cuba is called Cuba’s “Most Caribbean City.” It was founded as a Spanish settlement in 1515, and over the next several centuries, was invaded and conquered numerous times. Its rich history can be seen in the diverse backgrounds of its residents, whose Spanish, African, French, British and Haitian roots are flavored in the city’s original and fascinating music, food, drink, and art. The second largest city in the country (after Havana), Santiago de Cuba is rich with history and pride. This history spans many centuries and includes the 19th century War of Independence, 1959 Revolution, and Bacardí’s first rum factory.

Often cited as the country’s cultural capital, Cuba’s second-largest city is also one of its oldest. A vibrant mélange of Afro-Caribbean culture, Santiago de Cuba is known as the birthplace of most of the country’s musical genres as well as Castro’s revolution. Our walking tour included the central Parque Céspedes, a lively gathering spot both day and night. The square is surrounded by a number of architectural landmarks that were fully restored for the city’s quincentennial in 2015. Highlights include the Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción with its magnificent painted ceiling, and the Museo de Arte Colonial, housed in the former home of Cuba’s first Spanish governor, Diego Velazquez de Cuéllar.

Nuestra Señora de la Asunción Cathedral (The Basilica Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption) is located in the Parque Céspedes, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

The beautiful Nuestra Señora de la Asunción Cathedral (The Basilica Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption) is a national monument and a landmark within the city of Santiago. The present church was completed in 1922; however, there has been a cathedral on the site since 1522, shortly after the city’s founding. The crowning glories are the cathedral’s two Neoclassical towers, seen as beacons for the faithful.

Dating from 1522, Museo de Ambiente Histórico Cubano (located in Casa de Don Diego Velázquez) is the oldest house still standing in Cuba, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

Dating from 1522, Museo de Ambiente Histórico Cubano (located in Casa de Don Diego Velázquez) is the oldest house still standing in Cuba. It was the official residence of the island’s first governor, Diego Velázquez. Restored in the late 1960s, this former trading house and gold foundry was inaugurated as a museum in 1970. Today, rooms hold period furnishings and decorations from the 16th to 19th centuries.

Architectural detail on one of the colonial buildings around Parque Céspedes, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

A contemporary building adjacent to Parque Céspedes that incorporates many updated colonial architectural design details, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

The rooftop bar at Casa Granda Hotel (Hotel Casagranda) was a wonderful spot for a drink at sunset and dusk, overlooking Parque Céspedes and the adjacent Cathedral, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

Nuestra Señora de la Asunción Cathedral (The Basilica Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption) at dusk, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

A statue and one of the Cathedral’s two Neoclassical towers at dusk, overlooking Bahia de Santiago de Cuba, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

A beautiful 1950s black Chevrolet, restored by Nostalgicar Cuba, parked in front of the Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski, with a reflection of the hotel’s façade on the hood, Havana, Cuba

“Perhaps the strongest reminder of the hardened US-Cuban relationship is the 60,000 retrofitted metal relics clunking around the streets of the stagnant island nation. Havana’s stunning 1950s-era “coches Americanos” — or “máquinas” —are often referred to as the “Galápagos of the car industry” since they have been meticulously preserved by their owners during the 55-year-long trade embargo. Branded in Cuba’s surreal time-warp image, these cars provide crucial income for locals while servicing the island’s tourists.” — http://www.businessinsider.com

We saw this very nicely restored Chevrolet in Old Havana by the river, Havana, Cuba

A privately owned and operated classic car that had been restored, Havana, Cuba – seen parked in Old Havana

A pink beauty in Old Havana, Havana, Cuba

We saw many of the classic cars around the city, including taking taxi rides in several of them. On our last morning we were picked up at our hotel in Central Havana and given an hour-and-a-half classic car driving tour of the city. As there were four classic cars and 12 of us, we rotated to different cars and drivers each time we stopped, in order to have the experience of meeting new drivers and riding in different vehicles. At the end of the tour we went to the workshop of Nostalgicar, the company that owns and restored the cars we were driven in. The husband and wife owners of Nostalgicar met with us at the workshop and told us the history of the company. They have more than a half-dozen cars now, having started with an initial restored 1950 Chevy (Chevrolet) that was used in the filming of Havana 57 in 2012. The couple has become the face of entrepreneurship in Cuba, taking advantage of the new economic changes under Raul Castro that allows them to operate a private enterprise restoring and operating these “coches Americanos”.

The working car for the couple that own Nostalgicar Cuba, seen at their workshop, Havana, Cuba

One of Nostalgicar Cuba’s exceptionally well restored 1950s Chevrolets, here parked in a city park on our driving tour of Havana, Cuba

The entrepreneurial founder and co-owner (with his wife) of Nostalgicar Cuba, at his workshop in Havana, Cuba

A Chevrolet under restoration being painted at the Nostalgicar Cuba workshop in Havana, Cuba

A restored Chevrolet truck from the 1950s at the Nostalgicar Cuba workshop in Havana, Cuba

The intrepid explorer and your blogger outside the Grand Hotel Manzana Kempinski in the heart of Old Havana, Cuba, about to enter Nostalgicar Cuba’s blue 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air for a tour of the city, Havana, Cuba

About the origins of Nostalgicar (and its first restored car, a 1950 Chevrolet, nicknamed “Nadine”): “It began in 2012 and after arduous restorations, Nadine was almost ready to go out. He was missing quite upholstery insignificant details when a friend advised us to attend a casting vintage cars that were made ​​in the Hotel Nacional de Cuba for the filming of a movie Cuban-Canadian co-production. Attended many cars of that era with different brands and models, but to our delight, Nadine was selected as the winner, because for all its aspects was considered the most original preserved of all cars in competition.

“The car was used by the actor in the filming of the movie Havana 57 for six weeks. Days working 11 hours a day at different times. We were always close. The actor had to drive the car in many scenes. It took all safety measures to avoid any damage and the actors enjoyed shooting both expressed that they had the opportunity to feel like they are truly driving the 50.

“We keep this memory with particular gratitude, was the first vehicle movie experience and the first meeting with the public on the big screen. So , for a few minutes at the scene, we felt that Nadine became famous.” – www.nostalgicarcuba.com

Construction of La Catedral de la Virgen María de la Concepción Inmaculada de La Habana (Havana Cathedral) in Old Havana was started in 1748 and completed in 1787, Havana, Cuba; it’s one of the oldest in the Americas

“Havana Cathedral (The Cathedral of the Virgin Mary of the Immaculate Conception; Spanish: La Catedral de la Virgen María de la Concepción Inmaculada de La Habana) is one of eleven Roman Catholic cathedrals on the island of Cuba. It is located in the Plaza de la Catedral in the center of Old Havana. The thirty-four by thirty-five meter (112 feet by 115 feet) rectanglular church serves as the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Cristobal de la Habana.” — Wikipedia

A curiosity of Havana Cathedral is its interior, which is neoclassical rather than baroque and relatively austere; frescoes above the altar date from the late 1700s but the paintings that adorn the side walls are copies of originals by Murillo and Rubens, Havana, Cuba

“Described as music set in stone, Havana’s incredible cathedral, which is dominated by two unequal towers and framed by a theatrical baroque facade, was designed by Italian architect Francesco Borromini. Construction of the church was begun by Jesuits in 1748 and work continued despite their expulsion in 1767. When the building was finished in 1787, the diocese of Havana was created and the church became a cathedral – it’s one of the oldest in the Americas.

“The remains of Christopher Columbus were brought here from Santo Domingo in 1795 and interred until 1898, when they were moved to Seville Cathedral in Spain.

“A curiosity of the cathedral is its interior, which is neoclassical rather than baroque and relatively austere. Frescoes above the altar date from the late 1700s but the paintings that adorn the side walls are copies of originals by Murillo and Rubens.” — https://www.lonelyplanet.com/cuba/havana

A close-up of the candelabra and statuary above the altar in Havana Cathedral, Havana, Cuba

An unusual painting and metal sculpture in a side altar in Havana Cathedral, Havana, Cuba

Temple Beth-Shalom Gran Sinagoga de la Communidad Hebrea de Cuba, built in 1952, is considered the headquarters of the Cuban Jewish Community, Havana, Cuba

Temple Beth-Shalom Gran Sinagoga de la Communidad Hebrea de Cuba, built in 1952, is a Jewish synagogue located in the Vedado neighbourhood of downtown Havana. In 1981 much of the original building was sold to the state, and was then turned into the Bertolt Brecht Cultural Center, including a theatre, a music venue, a gallery and a bar. Only part of the structure remains in Jewish hands today. Extensive repairs were undertaken in the 1990s. Beth-Shalom is considered the headquarters of the Cuban Jewish Community. The building also houses a Jewish library. Overall, the Jewish community has enjoyed security and anti-Semitism has been minimal. In the years leading up to his death, Fidel Castro even attended the community’s Hanuka celebration. — sourced from Wikipedia

Ernest “Papa” Hemingway writing in Cuba; photo in Hemingway’s room during 1939 in the Hotel Ambos Mundos in Havana, Cuba

“Ernest Miller Hemingway (July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American novelist, short story writer, and journalist. His economical and understated style had a strong influence on 20th-century fiction, while his life of adventure and his public image influenced later generations. Hemingway produced most of his work between the mid-1920s and the mid-1950s, and won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954. He published seven novels, six short story collections, and two non-fiction works… Many of his works are considered classics of American literature.” — Wikipedia

“Ernest Hemingway loved Cuba so much that he considered himself a ‘Cubano Sato’ – which translates to a garden variety Cuban. Hemingway felt a kinship with the Cuban people, and was inspired by many of his experiences while he was in Cuba and on the waters surrounding the island nation. I n response, the Cuban people have showed equal admiration. Today a Hemingway industry flourishes in Havana – where his image is seen nearly as much as other famous Cuban icons.

“Hemingway first visited Cuba in 1928, while on a layover while traveling to Spain. He had arrived from Key West – his home at the time. He and his wife Pauline, their two sons Jack and Patrick, and Pauline’s sister Jinny Pfeiffer stopped over in Havana for 3 days while waiting for their ship, the ‘Reina de la Pacifica’, to sail. While in Havana, they stayed at the Hotel Ambos Mundos.

“Hemingway next visited Cuba in the summer of 1932. Hemingway went to Cuba with two friends from Key West: Joe Russell and Joe Lowe. They went to fish the annual Marlin run aboard a boat called “Anita”. They also had a Cuban that they hired onboard to rig baits.

“A year later, in 1933, Ernest Hemingway was writing for Esquire Magazine, and he would use his experiences fishing as content for his articles. He was fishing with a mate he had hired named Carlos Gutierrez, and they continued to fish off the boat “Anita”. Carlos Gutierrez taught him how to rig baits at different depths for Marlin fishing, which was a new concept for Hemingway. One of these articles was called ‘Marlin off the Morro: a Cuban Letter’. – www.hemingwaycuba.com

From Key West, Florida, Hemingway in 1939 crossed the sea to Cuba where he lived in the Hotel Ambos Mundos in Havana – at this point he was separating from his second wife Pauline.

Photographs of Ernest Hemingway (and his signature) on the lobby wall of the Hotel Ambos Mundos in Havana, Cuba, Havana, Cuba

Hemingway’s typewriter in his room during 1939 in the Hotel Ambos Mundos in Havana, Cuba

The view of old Havana and the port/river from Hemingway’s room during 1939 in the Hotel Ambos Mundos in Havana, Cuba

Published magazine covers with Hemingway on the cover, along with Hemingway photographs – on his bed in his room during 1939 in the Hotel Ambos Mundos in Havana, Cuba

Oil painting portrait of Ernest Hemingway on the side wall of his bedroom occupied in 1939 in the Hotel Ambos Mundos in Havana, Cuba

“In 1940 Hemingway, with his new wife Martha, purchased a home outside Havana, Cuba. He would live there for the next twenty years. The Hemingways named the site Finca Vigia, or “lookout farm.” They shared their home with dozens of Hemingway’s beloved cats, as well as trophies from many successful hunts and fishing expeditions.

“Hemingway became a fixture of Havana, and stayed in the country longer than many Americans chose to after relations between Cuba and the United States began to deteriorate. He fished extensively aboard his boat, Pilar, and enjoyed the island lifestyle, hanging out in Havana, and entertaining guests at the Finca. His home, with many original furnishings, hunting trophies, and personal artifacts can be viewed today.

“When not fishing or traveling, Hemingway wrote a great deal from his Cuban home. While little of his work from this time was published during his lifetime, many of the projects that Hemingway worked on throughout the 1940s were later edited and published after his death.

“Hemingway continued his war reporting during his time in Cuba. He and Martha traveled to China in 1941 to report on the Second Sino-Japanese war for PM Magazine. After returning from China, and before heading to Europe to cover World War II, Hemingway hunted German U-Boats in the Caribbean from Pilar, which he had outfitted with radio communications and weaponry should his craft encounter a German submarine.

“In 1944 Hemingway traveled to Europe to report on World War II. His first stop was in London, where he wrote about the war’s effect on the city. It was in London that he met a fellow reporter, Mary Welsh, who would later become his fourth wife. They traveled together in England, and then on to the French coast and Paris, following the Allied forces as they first invaded Normandy and eventually liberated the French capital. Hemingway spent some time in Paris, and later traveled with American forces as they entered Germany, before returning home.

“Hemingway divorced Martha in 1945, and returned to Cuba in 1946. He married Mary Welsh, and she joined him at the Finca.

Hemingway worked for some time on what would become his most famous work, The Old Man and the Sea. Originally published in 1952 in its entirety in a single issue of Life Magazine, sales exceeded all expectations. In addition to wide acclaim and financial success, The Old Man and the Sea also garnered Hemingway a Pulitzer Prize in 1953 as well as the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954.” — https://www.ernesthemingwaycollection.com

On our first day in Havana we had the opportunity to focus on the art and architecture of Havana, mostly in the Central District and Old Havana. Our first stop was at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de La Habana where we had an excellent English-speaking Museum employee give us a 90-minute overview of the collection. After a very good lunch featuring local cuisine at Paladar San Cristobal (pictured in earlier blog posts), we did a walking tour of old Havana (including the Ambos Mundos Hotel, home to Ernest Hemingway for seven years in the 1930s – see an upcoming blog post) and then visited the Lizt Alfonso Dance Academy for private performances by both young students and members of the professional dance troupe. The next day I wandered around Cathedral Square and discovered the printmaking academy, Taller Experimental de Gráfica. Our group that afternoon also visited several modern art galleries where we had the opportunity to discuss the contemporary art scene with some of the local artists.

A contemporary sculpture (that visitors can walk trough) constructed out of metal espresso pots at the entrance to the museum’s café, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Havana, Cuba

“The National Museum of Fine Arts of Havana (Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de La Habana) in Havana, Cuba is a museum of Fine Arts that exhibits Cuban art collections from the colonial times up to contemporary generations. It was founded on February 23, 1913 due to the efforts of its first director, Emoilio Heredia, a well-known architect. After frequent moves it was finally placed on the block once occupied by the old Colon Market. In 1954, a new Palacio of Bellas Artes was opened, designed by the architect Rodriguez Pichardo. The original 1954 Palacio was recently reconstructed by the architect Jose Linares and a second building was taken over for the Museum… The Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts) is dedicated exclusively to housing Cuba Art collections. Spanning the 17th and 19th centuries has rooms devoted to landscape, religious subjects and the Costumbrismo narrative scenes of Cuban life. Gallery devoted to the 1970s is marked by a preponderance of Hyperrealism and the latest generation of Cuban artists whose works all reflect the strong symbolic imagery that has been prevalent in recent decades. The most notable works are those of René Portocarrero and Wilfredo Lam. A modernist sculpture by noted Cuban artist Rita Lonja stands outside the main entrance.” — Wikipedia

The interior courtyard of the contemporary Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Havana, Cuba

A street artist in Old Havana, Havana, Cuba

Young dancers in training gave us a performance at their studio at Lizt Alfonso Academy, Havana, Cuba

One of the professional members of the Lizt Alfonso Dance Troupe in a special performance for a small group of us in Havana, Cuba

“It’s always a hot night in Havana wherever and whenever Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba performs. In her ‘Cuba Vibra!,’ Ms. Alfonso’s Havana-based company, in only 95 minutes, will celebrate the development of Cuban music and dance from the 1950s to the present with the aid of 18 dancers and an onstage big band. The troupe, founded by Ms. Alfonso in 1991 as an all-female group, now includes men. What hasn’t changed is Ms. Alfonso’s desire to present a kaleidoscopic fusion of ballet, flamenco, cha-cha, rumba, bolero and salsa dance in a theatrical manner that emphasizes ensemble unity: The feelings may be boisterous, but all steps interlock in perfect synchronization. This is dancing with precise abandon.” – Jack Anderson, New York Times, 4 November 2015

The professional dancers of the Lizt Alfonso Dance Troupe in a special performance, Havana, Cuba

A contemporary modern sculpture on the sidewalk in Old Havana, Havana, Cuba

A printmaker at Taller Experimental de Gráfica, located at the end of a short cul-de-sac by the Cathedral in Havana, Cuba

“Printmaking in Cuba dates back to the 18th century with the illustration of saints and shields, enriched in the 19th century with vignettes of sugar mills and local customs, travelers’ albums, and the dressings on cigars. In 1959, printmaking became a subject in the art education system, becoming an independent specialty. In July 1962, the experimental printmaking workshop [Taller Experimental de Gráfica] on Plaza de la Catedral was established by Cuban artist Orlando Suárez and Chilean painter José Venturelli using old printing stones and machinery that had been used for cigar decorations. Since its beginnings, the workshop focused purely on artistic projects and has been open to the most important Cuban printmakers, who have carried out an intensive work of creation and experimentation, a crucial factor in the boost experienced by the art of printmaking at present. The small Galería del Grabado upstairs sells excellent, non-touristy prints, including etchings, lithographs, woodcuts and collagraphs. The workshop also offers courses on traditional lithography (using stone), woodcuts, and etchings (using metal). Courses for foreigners come highly recommended and include one-on-one instruction by highly specialized professors and all supplies. Expect to pay around $250 for a month-long course and less for shorter periods.” – www.lahabana.com

A second printmaker at Taller Experimental de Gráfica, Havana. Cuba

A contemporary print of dancers displayed outdoors at a gallery in Old Havana, Havana, Cuba

A contemporary conglomerate “metropolis” metal sculpture at a private, modern art gallery in Havana, Cuba

Another contemporary metal sculpture at one of the modern art galleries that we visited before a rum and cigar tasting one afternoon in Havana, Cuba